The Perspectives Paper Track solicits papers containing original ideas and research vision that draw attention to novel directions in information retrieval research. We are particularly calling for papers offering: (1) novel, exploratory solutions with sufficient experimental support or proof; (2) visions describing a new or open problem in information retrieval research; and (3) a novel perspective on existing information retrieval research. Submissions should be anonymized for double-blind reviewing, but should include a section describing whose perspective is represented, as described below.
Perspectives papers are considered as SIGIR full papers, and accepted perspectives papers will appear in the SIGIR 2024 main conference proceedings.
Papers should be submitted at https://easychair.org/conferences?conf=sigir24.
If you have questions, please contact sigir24-perspectives@easychair.org.
Important Dates for Perspectives Papers
- Time zone: Anywhere on Earth (AoE)
- Abstracts due: February 1, 2024
- Papers due: February 8, 2024
- Notifications: March 25, 2024
Submission Guidelines
Perspectives papers are expected to have a high component of novelty. Perspectives papers can also address an understudied, open problem in IR, which may receive less attention in the full paper track. However, perspectives papers should still support their ideas with sufficient scientific argumentation, and where appropriate experimentation or proof. The papers also require high clarity in presentation.
Submissions should include a section describing whose perspective is represented by the paper without revealing any information about the authors. For example, a submission discussing “Industry perspectives on…” might indicate industry background of the authors. Do they work for more than one company? Is a mixture of larger and smaller companies represented? Do they represent American, Chinese and/or European perspectives? While there is no “right” or “wrong” perspective on a topic, understanding whose perspective is represented will allow the reviewers to place the paper in its proper context, and to better understand the pointview of the authors.
Submissions must be in English, in PDF format, and be at most 9 pages (including figures, tables, proofs, appendixes, acknowledgments, and any content except references) in length, with unrestricted space for references, in the current ACM two-column conference format. Suitable LaTeX, Word, and Overleaf templates are available from the ACM Website (use “sigconf” proceedings template for LaTeX and the Interim Template for Word). ACM’s CCS concepts and keywords are required for review.
For LaTeX, the following should be used:
documentclass[sigconf,natbib=true,anonymous=true]{acmart}
At least one author of each accepted paper is required to register for, and the author(s) or their delegate(s) must present the work at the conference in person. The anonymity, preprint/ArXiv, and desk rejection policies of the Full Paper Track also apply to the Perspectives Paper Track.
Difference between regular full papers and perspectives papers
Perspectives submissions do not require new empirical results that outperform a state-of-the-art baseline, unlike traditional SIGIR submissions. However, perspective submissions that focus on novel, exploratory solutions still need to support their ideas with sufficient experimental evidence.
Perspectives submissions that focus on novel perspectives on existing problems, or new research vision do not require empirical results but are still expected to defend their position with solid scientific arguments based on the relevant literature. In-depth discussions and explanations of implications are also expected.
Examples of Appropriate Perspectives Submissions
- Submissions presenting novel, exploratory solutions that have never previously been applied to information retrieval tasks.
- Submissions presenting novel solutions from outside the information retrieval community that may enable fundamental, significant advances in information retrieval.
- Research trajectory/agenda for a new and currently unsolved information retrieval problem, with solid support from literature demonstrating that it has not been addressed.
- Proposals envisioning a uniquely different solution for a resolved problem using evidence from the literature (possibly from other disciplines) and/or proof-of-concept.
- A scientific critique of a core assumption underlying information retrieval research or systems, supported by relevant literature from other disciplines and/or sufficient experimental evidence.
Examples of Inappropriate Perspectives Submissions
- A submission that is suitable for the SIGIR full paper track but with lower quality.
- A literature review without novel arguments.
- A submission without sufficient connection to information retrieval.
- An opinion piece about a core assumption underlying information retrieval research without scientific evidence or support from the relevant literature.
Perspective Paper Chairs
- Charles Clarke, University of Waterloo
- Emine Yilmaz, University College London
- Min Zhang, Tsinghua University
Contact
For further information, please contact the SIGIR 2024 Perspective Paper Chairs by email to: SIGIR24-perspective@acm.org.